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U.S. NEWS Saturday 12 May 2018
Cheney: U.S. should restart harsh

interrogations, back Haspel

By DEB RIECHMANN think the techniques used McCain, R-Ariz., who is bat-
Associated Press amounted to torture. tling cancer and is not ex-
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- “I think the techniques we pected to be present for
mer Vice President Dick used were not torture. A lot the vote.
Cheney said the U.S. should of people try to call it that, In recent days, those com-
restart the harsh detention but it wasn’t deemed tor- ing out against Haspel in-
and interrogation practic- ture at the time,” Cheney clude independent Sen.
es used on terror suspects said. “People want to go Angus King of Maine and
after 9/11, and called on back and try to rewrite his- Democratic Sens. Dianne
the Senate to confirm CIA tory, but if it were my call, Feinstein and Kamala Har-
nominee Gina Haspel. I’d do it again.” ris, both from California,
Brutal interrogation prac- Haspel is expected to get Bob Menendez of New
tices are currently banned the nod from the GOP-con- Jersey, Elizabeth Warren In this Feb. 27, 2017 file photo, former Vice President Dick Cheney
speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition annual leadership
under U.S. law, but debate trolled Senate intelligence of Massachusetts and Tim meeting in Las Vegas.
on the issue has re-sur- committee, but senators Kaine of Virginia.q Associated Press
faced during Haspel’s con- are still deciding whether
firmation process because they will vote to confirm her
she was once involved in when the full Senate votes
the CIA’s interrogation pro- in upcoming weeks.
gram. “I think she’d be a great
Haspel, currently the act- CIA director,” Cheney said
ing director of the CIA, told about Haspel. “I think she’s
members of the Senate in- done a great job in terms
telligence committee dur- of the career she’s built,
ing her confirmation hear- and the people I know at
ing on Wednesday that, the agency are very enthu-
if confirmed, she would siastic about having one
not restart the interroga- of their own, so to speak,
tion program. Trump has in the driver’s seat at the
agreed with Cheney, say- CIA.”
ing during his campaign She has broad, but not
that “torture works.” unanimous support, from
Cheney told Fox Business Republicans in the Senate.
on Thursday that if it were And Democratic Sen. Joe
up to him, he would have Manchin of West Virginia
the program active and announced this week that
ready to be employed if he will back Haspel. So far,
needed. He says the pro- the only Republicans who
gram was necessary to have announced oppo-
keep the U.S. safe from at- sition to Haspel are Sens.
tacks and that he doesn’t Rand Paul, R-Ky., and John

AT&T chief lobbyist out after
hiring of Trump attorney Cohen

NEW YORK (AP) — The “clearly failed.” The Wash-
chief lobbyist for AT&T is ington team had hired
leaving the company after Cohen under a one-year
overseeing a $50,000-per- contract that paid $50,000
month contract for Presi- a month.
dent Donald Trump’s at- AT&T said Cohen ap-
torney Michael Cohen to proached the company
serve as a political con- after the 2016 presidential
sultant. In a memo to em- election and said he was
ployees, AT&T CEO Randall leaving the Trump organi-
Stephenson said the com- zation to do consulting for
pany made a “big mis- a “select few” companies
take” in hiring Cohen as a that wanted his opinion on
political consultant. While Trump and the administra-
everything the company tion. AT&T said it had been
did was legal, Stephenson looking for consultants who
said that the association could help it understand
with Cohen was “a serious the president’s approach
misjudgment.” to regulatory reform at the
Stephenson noted that the Federal Communications
company’s reputation has Commission, tax reform
been damaged and that and antitrust enforcement
the vetting process used — “specifically our Time
by its team in Washington Warner deal.”q